The Food Processor

Putting Flavor and Color in Pasta

June 19, 1986|JANE SALZFASS FREIMAN | Freiman is a New York-based food writer

The idea that fresh pasta should have color but not flavor always has seemed a bit strange even though it is a generally accepted idea, particularly in Italian cooking. Why not have noodles that taste as good as they look?

One reason might be that pasta loses a great deal of flavor as it cooks, so even when flavorings are added they tend to fade in the cooking.

Perhaps that's why the idea for noodles flavored with curry powder seems so appealing. This ground mixture of spices is so powerful that the flavor survives better than many others.

Making homemade pasta dough takes only six seconds of processing in the food processor. It couldn't be easier and the only adjustment needed will be working out the exact amount of flour required for the recipe without overworking the dough.

These curry noodles begin with 2/3 cup bread flour which, as the side panel on the flour bag indicates, contains an average of 14 grams of protein per cup. This is relatively high-protein flour and as a result it is stronger, or more able to absorb liquid than most all-purpose flours, even the unbleached varieties.

Once the initial batch of dough is processed with one-second pulses, it is time to assess from the texture whether the dough requires more flour. Dough that will be perfect for rolling processes into moist, little beads that hold together when pinched.

If the 2/3 cup flour specified in the recipe forms a wet or mushy dough rather than the little beads (this also can be a result of variations in egg size) then it is necessary to add flour by tablespoons until the proper consistency is achieved.

Half-second pulses keep pasta dough most tender during this critical period of adjustment. While dough should bead up properly after 1 or 2 tablespoons of flour are added, up to 1/4 cup of flour may be required.

In addition to mixing pasta dough quickly, the machine mixes the sauce perfectly with no stove-top cooking. The result is a sophisticated appetizer for four which--for maximum effect--should be arranged on warm dinner plates.

The overall look of the dish is created by different flavorings. The bright-green sauce results from cilantro leaves and fresh chiles processed into the sauce base. The noodles are tinted yellow by the curry powder, and the pink-and-white shrimp halves provide a bright garnish.

While the combination may sound odd, the flavors work particularly well together as they are age-old partners in shrimp curry. Rethinking in this manner adds interest to a pasta appetizer, and restaurant techniques can be used for a higher style of home cooking.

Divide dough into 3 equal pieces. Roll out each piece, lightly flouring both sides as necessary, to thinnest setting on pasta machine, according to manufacturer's directions. Cut into narrow tagliarini, or angel hair noodles. (Noodles can be covered with dry cloth towel, wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated 8 hours).

Boil water in large kettle. Add noodles, cook until water boils again. Drain.